Rebel's Heart
by Agent Glitch
Summary: Jake and Spike were never really friends. They tend to keep it simple; Spike wants to be leader, but Jake won't back down. Unfortunately, there's more to this rivalry than it seems. And there's the hidden reason: Lucy.
1. Chapter 1

Jake stepped back to admire his work. Before, the walls were spotless. Now, they were filled with eccentric, carefully-made patterns of graffiti. With a smile on his face, the rebel turned to look at the others. "All right," he said, holding up his hands. "That's enough, gang." He watched as, one by one, his friends dropped their cans, leaving behind works of art.

Except not all of them were Jake's friends.

"Who made _you _leader, anyway?" a contemptuous voice asked, accompanied by a hard punch to Jake's shoulder. He whipped around to see Spike, an unfriendly glow in his eyes. "Spike," Jake spat out, just as venomously, trying to hold the pain from the blow. Lucy, noticing this, ran up to the rivalling boys. "Now, there's no need for–" She was cut off by Fresh, who held her back gently. "Let them," he said. Lucy took a step back cautiously.

Spike had his arms crossed and had a challenging look to his eyes. Jake was bristling with anger, both not making any move. Silence threaded its way between the two rebels, and neither backed down. The two were never truly friends; neither could tolerate the other for long. Violence was a last resort, and it had been used, too.

In their small rebellion, Jake had always been the natural leader of them all. He had pulled them together, keeping them tied as one. Being one of the fastest runners there, Jake was the ultimate in the gang. However, things changed once Spike came into the picture. The rocker had merely tagged onto the team, somehow bonding with Lucy, Brody, Tricky, King, and the others. And yet he never shown a soft side to Jake. Whenever the two clashed, there was always some unfinished business to clean up on. Spike was a year older than Jake, and that gave him extra points. He always acted as the superior, given the chance, and Jake hated him for it.

Walls of arrogance were built around Spike, especially when Jake was around. Lucy was probably the only reason that Spike and Jake never went into a fight. The worst and most violent incident between them was when Spike had slammed Jake head-on into a brick wall. Lucy had been the one to prevent further damage. Jake suffered minor injuries, and so the rivalry was born.

Now, Lucy broke from Fresh and quickly separated the two. "Come on!" she begged. "Why can't you just settle down, it's like trying to keep two bulls in the same cage!" Her bright hair flailed as she held Jake a distance away from Spike. Jake sighed; his hands were already fists and he would have given Spike a good beating, if not for Lucy. His temper never got the better of him before, and hopefully nothing big would happen.

Of course, his arm still hurt, but he wasn't going to cry like a wimp. This wasn't the first time Spike beat him up without opening a flesh wound. He had bruises, scratches, and scrapes. If only Spike was right and Jake truly was the leader of the gang. That way, they would have left Spike long ago.

Both knew that there was a deeper meaning to this fight they had; Lucy. Jake knew that the only affection Spike had ever shown was to Lucy and no one else. Whenever Spike thought Jake wasn't looking, he'd act like a true gentleman, eyes softened, with a hunger. A hunger that Jake felt too. Spike would never hurt Jake anymore because it would be the same as hurting Lucy. Somewhere within that cold, calculating façade, Spike had a heart of gold. But Jake knew that it would disappear one day, depending on Lucy.

For a moment, Jake loosened his grip on reality and flashbacks appeared in the back of his head. How he and Lucy used to have an unwavering friendship, before Spike showed up with the audacity to flirt with her so openly. Then he blinked, and the memories disappeared. If he was to win Lucy's heart, he'd have to get past Spike first.

Spike finally stepped down, acknowledging that the dispute was over. His eyes were still filled with glimmering hatred, however, and his expression said, _This isn't over, Jake. she's mine, and you know it. _He glared at Jake. The red highlights on his hair reflected the sinking sun's light, causing ripples of color to dance in the streaks.

Jake's anger level was slowly dropping. He turned back, half-glad that now he could speak to the rest of his team. "Come on." He shoved his hands into his pockets and walked over to the dark alleyways where they lived in. Life was never easy out here, but they managed just fine. They were used to these hardships.

While he walked, he let his mind wander free. He thought about the others, too. Was his blind love for Lucy causing him to neglect them? He was paying lesser and lesser attention to them, now that Spike was a threat. If he couldn't take care of one gang member, how was he supposed to hold them all as one? How would he prevent them from breaking apart?

Spike was still a problem. Jake could never understand why. Spike, he was so quiet at times, never revealing too much information about himself. Jake barely knew anything besides his name. Spike never told anyone his real name, nor his origins, nor his hobbies other than rule-breaking. Jake doubted Spike actually had any family or friends outside the rebellion. For a very short while, he felt pity clutch his heart, but he shook his head and banished it away.

Rebelling was a contest; love was the prize. Running was a game; chasing was a quest. Rivalry was a beam of light, with blindness the punishment. If his life was a painting, Jake could create a dynamic masterpiece. For his heart longed for naught but one thing, and that was Lucy.

And Spike was the enemy.

**Author's Note: So, this is my first Subway Surfers fanfic. It's obvious that this category needs more stories, so here's a little something to expand the archives. I may or may not continue this; it depends on the reviews and what you guys think I should do. I'm not a first-time writer, but I do take constructive criticism. If you have any tips or ideas, I'd love the feedback :D**

**Right now, I guess, this will remain as a one-shot until I have the time to continue it. Don't forget; each review counts and gets this fanfic a bigger chance of developing into a multi-chap!**

**Agent Glitch, logging off.**


	2. Chapter 2

As the sun was rising, Spike thought about the earlier incident. It wasn't his fault that he had let out such an outburst, wasn't it? Wasn't it true that he should have been leader among them all?

He climbed up to the top of a train and sat down, eyes glinting as the darkness melted into light. Anger surged though him, and he let it travel through his veins, savoring the feeling of it beneath his cold atmosphere. He stood up, and then walked up the length of the train, before leaping to the next one. After a while, he found a low-hanging roof. Grabbing it, he grunted as he pushed himself upwards, then managed to haul himself even higher.

Spike had always known this route, which enabled him to see the sunrise better. If he was lucky, he'd be able to catch the Inspector and warn everyone else, Jake excluded of course. But today, it looked like there wouldn't be any reason to run just yet. The punk-rock runner rested on a rooftop, eagle eyes watching the sun as it inched up the sky. This was where he often pondered things. Reliving the day in his head while avidly watching the birds as they animatedly flew across the skies.

Tension rose as he whipped round in reaction to a grating sound from behind him. He saw Lucy pulling herself up to sit next to him. Unable to say anything, Spike clamped his mouth shut, as awkward as he could ever be. Lucy's eyes were filled with gentle concern as she faced him. "Spike–"

"I don't want to talk about it," Spike interrupted once he had finally found his tongue. He knew that Lucy would confront him about the argument earlier. Lucy gazed downwards, cut off. She took one more look at him before saying, "I know you don't want to, but you'll have to sooner or later. If you and Jake can't settle down, both of you will get hurt eventually." With that, she jumped down from the roof, landed on the back of a train, rolling over to absorb the force that would have sprained her legs otherwise.

Left alone, Spike grinned to himself in a strangely sadistic way. _Lucy, Lucy, _he thought darkly. _So blind that you wouldn't notice a blizzard in summer. _How was it possible that, even now, she couldn't notice how he and Jake were fighting over her? Spike shook his head. He'd have her one day, he knew. Until then, he would have to wait.

Sunlight caused him to blink. He felt rays of heat touch his skin, and, feeling exposed, Spike jumped down to the train. He landed on all fours before taking a leap to the ground. He brushed the dust off his hands and leaned on the train, walking back to his comrades.

Jake had his back to Spike. The familiar hostility burning, Spike imagined himself tearing Jake apart, ripping his guts out and taking him down. He tried to suppress his frustration as he carefully made his way to the others instead. Frizzy, King, Fresh, Tricky and Brody were already up on their feet. Whispers and queries were uttered immediately, such as, "Is the Inspector nearby?" "Should we move on?" "Do we have to run off now?" "Is it safe?"

The rocker calmed them down. They relied on him to watch out for any trouble, he knew. "Don't worry; it's as quiet as a snake out there." Jake turned around as Spike was talking, and then looked away just as quickly.

Spike spun his heels and walked off as if nothing had happened. After a long pause, he decided to continue his watch. Even with bleak daylight shining down on him, there would always be this silent, sheltered shadowy place where he could sit as quietly as if he were on vigil.

Nobody noticed as he made his way back to the roofs. His shadow moved as fast as he did, until he found a place behind a chimney. He lay down, sighing. Vivid images crossed his mind. He thought again about himself and what everyone else knew about him. To Jake, Spike was a snake that slithered away during daytime and came back whenever action was going on.

Lucy had always seen Spike as a friend. In fact, she was the only friend Spike ever had. Being born into a cruel world where he lost all his family and learned to live a solitary life, Spike was never the best at socializing, which led to his independent and daring behavior. He had always been one to challenge himself, even after he met the Subway Surfers. Being a part of the gang lifted a weight off his shoulders, but he still talked little and rarely lent a helping hand to anyone.

Spike, of course, wasn't his real name, but he enjoyed going by it. It gave him personality and a good first impression, one that he wanted to keep. If anyone heard his name, they would think of a rouge; a scourge on the name of good people. And that was what he wanted. He wasn't going to follow rules.

That girl Lucy was the only one who was willing to actually listen to him. When Spike confessed about his past being one that he didn't want to recall, Lucy gave him support and that made him more confident.

And then there was Jake, too. Spike absolutely despised Jake. He was too full of himself and held his self-esteem too high. He thought of himself as a leader and acted like it. Maybe it was because nobody had wanted to take the responsibility, but Spike felt resentment nonetheless. Besides, Jake was the only one who knew about his crush on Lucy, and at the same time wanted to destroy. His dreams of being with the girl.

Spike sighed. If he was so depressed, he could have jumped off the building and met his death, but he wasn't going to give up yet. Right now, the sole meaning of his survival was to be with Lucy. He had no family to live for and no other friends. All he'd give would be for Lucy.

**Will do Lucy's perspective next, thanks for all the reviews, would you review this chapter too? Thanks! Haven't proofread, sorry. **


	3. Chapter 3

Something was wrong...

Maybe she had been too oblivious, or maybe she wasn't investigating closely enough. Maybe she had been too busy to care. Or maybe it was simply impossible to find out what was wrong.

Lucy stood at the corner of a two-story house, one that was dusty and abandoned. Right now, the Subway Surfers saw this as their safe refuge. The house, or rather what remained of it, was comfortable enough for the rebels. It had a couple broken windows and stuck doors that they had to break down, but it was still better than nothing. There was no bed, no sofa, just a couple wooden chairs and tables. Everyone slept on the floor. All but Spike – and King, but that was an entirely different story – took on another place. No one knew where the emo teenager called home, but he often met up with them in the house.

King, on the other hand, was just another kid that spent time with the Surfers. He lived in a perfect household not far away, and even now Lucy wasn't sure what to do with him. They would probably leave him to his own life if they were threatened out of the house. Still, King enjoyed the time he spent with the others.

Frizzy had been a distraught young woman who had been attacked by a thief. She had never found her family again. She claimed that she had been from another country but never mentioned where. Tricky and Fresh were siblings who came into the team long ago, with the backstory of being abused by their families. Pretty much everyone else had grisly tales to tell among the others.

No one knew about Jake's origins of previous life. Nothing, nada, zero. Not even his full name, true nationality, or anything, really. He had always been the same person. Lucy had come to meet him, and the two of them created their rebellion. The others joined in quickly, but no one had been brave enough to ask Jake about what had caused him to do all this. Maybe he had been born into it.

The multicolor-haired girl thought back to when she had first met Jake.

_"What's your name?" asked the boy in the hoodie. His voice was casual, and his eyes were friendly. Lucy felt as if she wasn't in any trouble. _

_"I... I'm Lucy." _

_"Lucy... I like it. Call me Jake." 'Jake' grinned maliciously, but the seducing look disappeared to be replaced by a normal expression. He rubbed his shoes together to clean off some dust, then his gaze met with Lucy's. "Where ya from, Luce?"_

_"I... I'm from–"_

_"Hold up," Jake interrupted. "No one cares anyway. Not me, not you, and why did I ask you anyway? We'd part anytime, pretending that we had never met. Everyone here lives alone. Solitary life. It's not like there's a rebellion here. No one gives a shit about your life. It's live or be killed around here. You'd better go." His eyes, which had been soft before, hardened into a fiercer impression that scared Lucy. _

_The sudden change in personality wasn't usual, but Lucy glanced at her own shoes and said, "I don't have anywhere to go to."_

Jake had changed. From the ignorant, hatred-hearted tyrant, to this bold... leader. One that deserved his position. He showed compassion and empathy now. Maybe it was Lucy who had affected him by her own presence, or maybe it was Jake himself who had decided to come upon a change of heart.

And then there was Spike. An image of the runner came up in Lucy's mind. Spike was a strange fellow and an unusual ally to be with, but he meant no harm to her. In fact, he only appeared content around Lucy. He had even claimed that Lucy was his only friend.

Remembering that time wasn't exactly easy, but Lucy dug deep into her memories either way. Exploring her mind and revealing all the time that he had spent.

_The punk-rock runner hid deep in an alleyway. _

_Jake's eyes were narrowed with hostility. The teenager in front of them was cornered by the group of rogues, but he showed no sign of fear and gave no hint of backing down. "Leave," he growled. _

_Lucy walked forward, hoping to show the teen in front of them that they meant no harm. "We only need a bit of shelter for tonight. We'll leave tomorrow, I promise!" Lucy urged. The lithe, solitary scourged boy shook his head. "I don't care. Leave or I'll make you," he commanded. His voice was taut and he showed no expression except for open contempt. _

_Anger flashed in Jake's eyes. Before Lucy could stop him, he ran forward and nearly landed a punch on the other's chest. Jake yelled, "She means what she says! We'll leave tomorrow!" but his blow missed as the rocker swerved to one side with almost inhuman speed. Lucy saw her chance and immediately pulled Jake back. Tricky, who had joined the little tribe, helped her out by grabbing Jake's other arm. _

_"Jake, contain yourself!" Lucy begged. Jake struggled in her grip and broke free, but no longer made a move to hurt the rocker. _

_The stranger demonstrated a number of strong punches and kicks, and Jake dodged each one. Until the strange teenager hit him squarely in the chest – but no force was evident. It was merely a way to show off his strength. With that, the teenager let out a violent laugh. "This," he declared, "is how easily I can defeat you. Stay if you want, but be out of here by midday, or else." He raised a fist in emphasis. _

_Nobody seemed comfortable with the stranger's unfriendly invite. Still, they couldn't go any further that night. Jake breathed heavily, panting, and he didn't look too happy to have been defeated by the stranger. Lucy heard him whisper, "Son... son of a bitch."_

_Hours passed, and in the black of night Lucy tried to pull up a decent conversation with the teenager. "What's your name?" _

_"Spike." His voice was flat and emotionless, like his eyes and face. _

_"That's not your real name, is it?"_

_He didn't reply._

_"Where are you from?"_

_Nothing. _

_"How did you get here?"_

_Zero._

_She attempted to get him to talk with more questions, but he turned each one down and cut her off at last with, "Look here, you'll be gone by tomorrow. You'll forget about everything you knew about me."_

_Lucy sighed. "Well, just so you know, you're welcome to join us if you want to. Our door's always open."_

Now, however, Lucy wasn't sure if her decision to trust Spike had been a good one. Through one way or another he had accepted her into his little world, telling her that his life hadn't been a friendly one. It had been a life that taught him hardships and that the only reason for living was survival. That luck would never side with him.

A new realization dawned on Lucy now that she wasn't so blindly oblivious anymore. She had been so foolish not to have realized this sooner...

She had to talk to Spike and Jake.

**A little insight on the Surfers' pasts. And before you start to complain about the swearing, keep in mind that this is why the story is rated T.**


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